


We gonna be here for a long ass time.

by orphan_account



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Enemies to Lovers, Fake/Pretend Relationship, M/M, Stranded, slow start
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-30
Updated: 2020-03-11
Packaged: 2021-02-27 07:02:41
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 8,396
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22443034
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Typical paying someone to pretend to be your man story.(Inspired by this sign I saw on an Insta post. The sign goes: Careful who you bring home tonight. They might end up staying all week.Slow start but it gets better.
Relationships: Derek Hale/Stiles Stilinski
Comments: 26
Kudos: 146





	1. That's a pretty shit coffee (pun intended.)

**Author's Note:**

> The Wattpad Billionaire Story born out of writer's block.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And the story begins.

Derek Hale's reputation precedes him and surprisingly, it's all true.

The thing about him being a womanising womaniser who womanises and an even bigger maniser. One hundred percent. That other thing about his unhealthy addiction to his work. Fascinating, when you get to see it first hand. And the last thing, about how he fires all his assistants within a month for the stupidest reasons. Well, not so good, when it finally happens to Stiles.

It's his 21st day working for Derek Hale when the inevitable happens. He gets fired.

'Erica will hand you your week's notice,' Derek says calmly without looking up from his desk. Stiles resists sticking out an immature tongue at him.

He grinds his teeth together and clenches and unclenches his fists. He hates begging but he really needs this job. 'Sir, please, it won't happen again.'

'I can't take that risk.' Derek says.

Stiles's hand twitches. 'It was only a harmless mistake.'

'A harmless mistake that's happened three times in a row, Stiles. ' Derek finally looks up and gives him a hard look. 'I can't have that.'

Big deal, I was ten minutes late! It happens, you fucking douchebag. And maybe it would happen less if you didn't overwork me so much, you inconsiderate bag of..

Stiles grits his teeth. 'Just give me one more chance.'

The answer is no. 'Make sure your desk is packed by the end of the week.'

And that's that. Dismissed. Stiles sighs, shuffling out of the office in defeat. He meets Erica at the door, Derek's top assistant and she hands him his notice.

'Shame,' she pats him on the back, twice. 'You were beginning to be my favorite.'

Stiles feels the need to complain and he does, making his way down to his desk. It's probably highly unprofessional, to bitch about your boss to his top henchman or whatever the fuck Erica is but he knows he is safe when it comes to her. And besides, he's out of here in a week anyway.

'In a way, this is good,' Erica sits, perched in the edge of his desk. 'No offence, but I don't think this job is really for you.'

Stiles sighs. It's true. An office job, working for someone else just doesn't appeal to the Stiles aesthetic. But like he said, 'I still need the money.'

Erica nods in understanding. 'Just one more week and I'll write you a recommendation so good, everyone will be dying to have you.'

Stiles nods. What's one more week?

**

Torture is what it is. Working with Derek Hale for one more week is torture. He's still employed as his second assistant and he still needs the recommendation from Derek so he still has to show up early and smile and do all of Derek's stupid chores.

It's five in the morning when Stiles gets a call from Derek, asking him to come in early two days before his last day. He has an early morning meeting at seven with some investors.

Stiles barely makes it in time with Derek's double soy Kopi Luwak ready, shirt untucked, hair messed up and tie missing. Everyone he meets gives him the stink eye, all looking unnaturally polished despite the ungodly hour. Stiles tries not to sneer back and has to remind himself that there are two kinds of people in this world, and he shouldn't be ashamed that he is on the direct opposite end of the morning people spectrum.

He just isn't cut out for this.

Derek, on the other end, is. He's already deep into some floor plans of his latest hotel (hotels?) expansion and he barely notices when Stiles runs in.

Stiles watches fascinated as the workaholic does his shit, wondering (not for the first time) why this turns him on. Derek is making notes, cross checking his presentation on his laptop, adding some few sketches on the designs and dictating something to his phone. At the same time.

Stiles shakes his head. Could never be him.

'Morning,' Stiles tries, as always but as usual, Derek barely even acknowledges him. When he is like this, he barely notices anything.

Stiles wonders if...

He sticks out his tongue and waggles his brows. Derek doesn't even react.

'Hmmmpf,' Stiles huffs, putting the coffee down. He starts to fix himself, running his hand through his hair in an effort to tame it. He fully untucks his shirt and stretches, then sets about to tucking it back in neatly. The tie is a lost cause, he lost it during his dash from his apartment to the subway, so he pops open a few top buttons.

He barely just misses Derek's eye sliding away from him back to his work. The construction mogul suddenly looks tense, but other than that he barely seems affected by Stiles's lack of professionalism.

Stiles taps his feet, he fidgets around aimlessly trying to find something to do whilst he waits for his first orders. His eyes fall on the coffee on the edge of the desk.

It's Kopi Luwak, some expensive coffee that Derek always gets. It's supposed to be made from civet faeces, but apparently it's got a fruity taste. Stiles has always wanted to see what it tastes like, but he isn't about to be caught dead spending more than ten dollars on a coffee.

But...

Derek makes notes on his presentation. Stiles reaches for the cup, eyeing the workaholic warily. If Derek notices his hands wrapping around the cup, he doesn't react. If he notices Stiles gingerly lifting his cup, he doesn't say anything.

Stiles is pretty sure he's gotten away with it when he brings the cup to his lips. He takes a small sip, and instantly grimaces. The coffee could taste great, amazing even but Derek has gone and ruined it with his double soy, no sugar, hold the cream bullshit.

'Stiles,' Derek says. He looks unimpressed. Stiles gulps and wonders if he can play this off, but before he can, Derek stands up and straightens his suit.

'Have you got the minutes on the last meeting with the Sanchez brothers?' Derek asks, fixing up his desk. Folders and files, top drawer. Floor plans rolled up neatly and placed in the third.

'Yes but...'

'But.'

'It's on my laptop,' Stiles says, sheepishly scratching his head. His laptop, which is on his study desk, in his apartment, thirty minutes away from here. He tells Derek this.

'Is it backed up?'

It's saved on his notes to his computer. Stiles shakes his head and grimaces. Derek sighs, in the weird way that he does through his nose.

'I can go get it but it will take at least half an hour,' Stiles offers immediately but Derek lifts his hand up and shakes his head.

'I think you've done enough,' Derek says coolly. Enough sounds like nothing. Stiles has done nothing. 'I think perhaps its best I get you to do Greenberg's job.'

'What?'

'I said-'

'No, I heard you, sir, but Greenberg does all the..' Stiles flails his hands. Greenberg does the domestic shit. The dry cleaning, the shopping, the real belittling chores of an assistant.

'Well, Greenberg actually wants to be here,' Derek says coldly. Stiles shuts his mouth fast because whilst hurtful, it is the truth.

Derek ignores him as he steps out from his desk and strides to the door. 'Shay?'

In a few moments, the floor receptionist walks in, looking pulled together in a designer suit and high bun. She spares a single disdainful glance at Stiles before she turns all her charm at Derek with a wide, insincere smile.

'Yes, sir?'

'Please help Mr Stilinski get set up. He will be taking over for Mr Greenberg today,' Derek tells her. Her smile instantly becomes genuine, beaming as she looks gleefully at Stiles.

'Of course,' she nods. 'And as for Mr Greenberg.'

'I've already called him in to come early today. He should be here in a few moments.' Derek replied already focused on his smartwatch and setting up his notes.

Stiles narrowed his eyes, because, wait what? Derek cinches everything a moment later when he says, 'When he comes in, would you tell him to come straight to the conference room. I'll be meeting the brothers there.'

'Yes, of course, Mr Hale.'

'Thank you, Shay. That will be all.'

They stand in silence as Shay leaves, Derek mostly occupied with his watch whilst Stiles tries to find a way to call him every dirty thing in the book and still get to keep his job.

He settles finally on, 'Is that all, Mr. Hale?'

Derek looks up and pretends to ponder. He clicks his fingers together in epiphany and points to the cup of coffee that is still in Stiles's hands. 'I think you owe me another cup of coffee.'

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Pshh, wish this ball would roll a little faster.


	2. Cool. Laura?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 'Derek likes to shut people up and you are pretty mouthy,' Laura says back easily. 'I guarantee if you weren't together already, you would be driving him crazy.'

By the time Shay has set him up, Stiles has reduced himself to speaking in plot points.

'First, drop the Burberry suits at the dry clean. Second, the diamonds for James and three,' he squints to try to read Greenberg's handwriting, '...groceries? Is he kidding?'

'Don't forget this phone,' Shay hands him a mobile he recognises as Derek's semi-personal, reserved for his hookups. 'Remember, the feisty ones are the hardest so you have to try to be extra creative to get rid of them.'

Which is wow. Just, wow. 'Who's James?'

'Oh,' Shay's says as her face darkens. 'They met last weekend, at Mr and Mrs Whittemore's bash. He's perky.'

'And the diamonds?'

'What do you think?' Shay snarls. Hearing herself, she immediately stops and clears her throat. 'No worries, he'll be just another hookup calling on that phone anyway. There's still some hope left.'

Stiles watches her incredulously. 'You can't be serious?'

'What?' She shrugs. 'I'm a catch.'

'I don't doubt that,' he says uneasily, 'but he definitely isn't.'

'Why not?' Shay lists down Derek's winning attributes. 'Rich, handsome, extremely generous and he's smart...'

'With a fantastic work ethic,' Stiles says, making sure to inject as much sarcasm in his voice so Shay knows that it's a bad thing. 'And a wonderful personality. And not forgetting, his five star loyalty. You deserve better.'

Shay flinches at the hand that's landed on her shoulder for comfort, or support or whatever he was going for. 'Don't touch me.'

'Sorry.' He moves away from her.

'He doesn't cheat,' Shay says. 'Greenberg broke up with Larissa for him before James showed up.'

Like that makes it better. Stiles decides to let this go, because if she can't see what's wrong with that sentence, then he clearly doesn't understand women enough.

He leaves for the dry cleaning and has his first call. Ximena from Columbia wants to know why it's been three months since she slept with Derek and why he doesn't call. Stiles stammers through it, because Ximena sounds absolutely terrifying on the phone and won't stop yelling. He feels like a fast food service beginner, talking to an angry Karen who wants to speak to the manager.

After the dry cleaning, he gets another call from Kong, a male model that he actually knows about. After the initial embarrassing gushing and insistence that he is his biggest fan, Kong tells him to cut the shit and get Derek for him.

'Right, well, you see Derek isn't here at the moment right now?' Stiles says it like a question even though he's been practicing for the last ten minutes how to speak to hotter, famous people over the phone.

'Is that a question?'

'No?' Stiles clears his throat. 'He is not here, at the moment, right now.'

'Well, get me his other number, you piece of shit. I have to talk to him.'

Stiles cringes, and briefly regrets ever complimenting Kong on his epic runway skills. 'I'm sure whatever you have to say, you can say to me.'

There's an angry silence on the other side, and Stiles can totally see how Derek had something in common with Kong. After a long while, Kong finally grits out, 'What are you wearing?'

Stiles hangs up. He does not know if there are any rules about hanging up on Derek's flings but he knows he doesn't need that.

The next call happens whilst he is walking away from Tifanny's with Jame's diamond chain gift wrapped and ready for drop off so Derek can woo his little next conquest.

He's so frustrated when he gets the call that he barely even looks at the name before he's answering with a, 'Look, whoever this is, he's just not that into you.'

There's a pause from the other end before a low, amused voice answers back. 'Why wouldn't he be?'

Her heavy accent makes her sound so dangerous and since he just wants this call to be over with, so he goes real creative. 'Because he's into me.'

'Oh.' The voice on the other end goes quiet. 'Greenberg?'

Fuck, he should have known they would know Greenberg. They must have been calling for months on end, trying to get to Derek.

'It's Stiles, actually,' he grits out. 'Greenberg doesn't use this phone anymore because there is no need to.'

'So, what? Derek has his little paramour tell all his ex lovers that it's over now?' The silky voice laughs at the other end. 'What the hell is a Stiles anyway?'

'Whoever you are, you can stop calling. It's clearly embarrassing for all of us, you, me and Derek since we now know that Derek's feelings aren't requited. Requited for none of you all except for me that is,' Stiles continued.

There's an amused huff on the other end. 'Do you have any idea who I am?'

Stiles scowls, this girl seriously. 'That doesn't change a thing. It's over, I'm closure, lets both move on.'

'Well, you see Stiles. I don't believe you.' Her accent makes it sound like a threat. He tries to place it, a mix between Italian and Russian but not quite.

'And let me guess, you want me to prove it to you by getting Derek so he can confirm it to you loudly and verbally?'

'Well, that would definitely get me to try to believe it but we both know Derek is too much of a coward to come to the phone,' the voice says, albeit a bit bitterly. 'I just don't believe you.'

'I don't really know what to do about that.'

'Tell you what, why don't you let Derek know that I called...'

'Now, you are just being disrespectful because like I said, we are happily in love together amd he doesn't need...'

'... and let him know that I don't appreciate the fact that I only have his hook up number instead of his actual personal number,' the voice continues either way. Stiles sighs.

'Look, um.. whoever you are...'

'Laura.'

'Look, Laura,' Stiles begins then promptly chokes when he realises something. 'Laura?!'

'Aaww!' the voice says at the other end. 'Did Derek talk to you about me?'

'Laura Hale?'

'And here I thought he still pretended I didn't exist,' Laura says from the other end. 'Hi, nice to meet you.'

'What? How? Why? Why are you calling from this number?' Stiles asks confused. Erica told him about Derek's family, living in Smeerensburg, an isolated island they own in the North. He knows Derek left the island to make it big in America, and never went home. He knows Derek only visits once a year. From the way Erica went on and on about it, he suspected it was because his family refused to see him and wanted nothing to do with Derek and it was the only reason why he excused the other man for being such a work-addicted, emotionless dick sometimes.

He didn't know it was really the other way around.

'Because Derek gave this number to me,' she grumbles from the other end. 'Jeez, I thought Derek would at least fall in love with someone smart enough.'

'But you are his family?' He says. 'How long have you been calling this phone?'

'Enough that I look forward to long chats with Greenberg,' she answers. 'Look, you are the only one who can help me, Stiles.'

That stops him cold. 'What?'

'I don't know what Derek told you about us during your pillow talk sessions, but I need you to put that behind you so we can help each other.'

'I'm not telling Derek to give you money,' Stiles says immediately, because it's the only reason he can think of. Rich guy not talking to his family living in an isolated island in the middle of nowhere. It's a family drama just waiting to make it on T.V.

'I have more money in my pocket at the moment than you could ever dream of having, Stiles,' Laura sounds annoyed at the other end.

'How do you know I don't? For all you know, that's how I caught myself a Derek,' he snarks. Laura's reply to that is a deep, rumbling laugh.

'I think I can guess how you caught Derek,' she says back. 'My brother is very predictable.'

Now Stiles is interested and he puts the issue of helping her on the shelf for now. 'Are you saying he has a type.'

'Derek likes to shut people up and you are pretty mouthy,' Laura says back easily. 'I guarantee if you weren't together already, you would be driving him crazy.'

Stiles gapes. He probably looks like an idiot, running around New York City, trying to find the nearest shopping centre so he can buy groceries, with his mouth wide open like he wants to catch flies. But this is juicy.

'He likes them loud, huh?' He tries to ask casually and misses with like a mile.He gets another throaty laugh for it.

'Not loud, exactly. But snarky and knows how to use their mouth,' she chuckles. Stiles thinks of Kong and Ximena and he can totally see it. 'And how about that favor, Stiles?'

Stiles groans. 'What is it?'

'It's nothing serious. Relax. I just need you to give Derek a message. I've been trying to get t him for a while now and this is my only chance before the network goes bad over here again.'

'Here?' 

'Smeerensberg. You have to make sure Derek gets the message today before its too late.'

'That sounds ominous,' Stiles says. 'Okay.'

'Just tell Derek Oma wants him home by the weekend. And if he doesn't show up, she is coming to New York.'

Then she hangs up. Stiles stares at the phone. Must be the network.


	3. mind your own business (stiles)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 'Did you buy the right stuff?'Derek asks and Stiles has to glare, because that is just so lame. That is so lame and Derek is a jerkface for thinking his home isn't safe around Stiles.
> 
> Of course the universe proves him wrong because just as he lifts the last bag, he manages to topple over the blender that is on the wrong side of his elbow and it wobble-dy wobble-dy wobbles before dropping on its side.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Had to post something but the dice isn't rolling yet. Fuck!!!! I need to stop dragging this out!

Buying groceries for Derek Hale is one thing. Dropping them off is an entire thing altogether. He doesn't know where to begin.

'Just call an Uber and get to this address,' Shay says over the phone. His phone dings and she sends him Derek Hale's physical address. Just like that, Stiles totally knows where Derek lives. He isn't sure what to do with that information. 'I don't think I have to remind you about privacy policies, Stiles.'

'I'm not going to do anything,' he says quickly. He isn't that much of a jerkass that he will pay teenagers to go toilet paper Derek Hale's house or anything. At least not anymore. Thinking about it isn't the same as doing it anyway.

'Show your work ID to the guards.' Shay instructs. 'They'll take you to the kitchen and you drop them off. Then you leave.'

'Guards,' Stiles repeats. 'He has actual guards outside his house. What is this guy, rich?'

'Did you even take a look at the address?'

He does now. It's in some wealthy part of New York at least half an hour away from the city. It's one of those closed off suburbs that are enclosed around a wall, and only require houses that have ten bedrooms as a minimum.

'I thought he lived in the penthouse above us,' he comments, prompting a confused sigh from Shay.

'Why would he do that when he has an actual home to go to?'

'The guy spends every single free moment of his in the office. Excuse me for thinking he would find it time sufficient to live at work. Besides, he has no one in his life except for himself and his current inamorato slash inamorata so why the hell he would need a house in some far off surbrb designed to house an entire pack totally beats me, Shay. I mean, if he instead focused on investing all the wasted money he spent on ...' He stops when he hears the dull tone of the phone.

A text shows up.

Shay; Just drop the groceries and leave.

Stiles; Then wait for my next mission?

Shay; Come to the office. You'll probably be on coffee duty.

Stiles; So take my sweet ass time then?

Shay doesn't reply and Stes grumbles. He calls his Uber, gets in the car and totally overtips the guy when they finally reach Derek's house. Its crazy, now that he thinks about it, that Derek is always miraculously the first at the office every morning and the last to leave when he ives so far away.

How he manages to keep up the sex life totally baffles Stiles. There's always at least two every week, and they usually stay for three days each before Derek replaces them. How Derek can come home at 12, spend time with them, get enough sleep to still be back early in the morning straight baffles him.

'It's not that complicated once you think about it,' Isaac his Uber shrugs as they pull up. 'I think this Derek guy probaby hooks up with them at company parties and calls them for quick quickies during the week. Maybe the gifts are his way of saying thank you, not some relationship wooing thing.'

'First of all, the thank you part is creepy af. You make them sound like sugar babies, who sell their body for diamonds or some shit.'

'How much is this guy worth? A lot? How extremely fuckable are the models he hangs out with?' Isaac points out. He stops the car just outside the gate and they watch as a guard approaches the. Stiles shows off his ID and they get permission to get in.

The driveway is pretty long and Stiles takes the time to stare at Derek's lovely ass lawn and mansion as he continues the conversation. 'If its just sex, then why do they keep calling him back? Wouldn't they hash it out when they break up?'

'I thought you said Greenberg broke up with them for him?'

'Yeah, but wouldn't they just accept that the sex is over and get someone else. Why do they keep embarrassing themselves by calling back?'

Isaac parks the car and turns around to stare at Stiles, then his eyes drop to Stiles's crotch. 'What do you think?'

'Over sixty people called the phone for the month that I was working there, and you think it's just because of Derek Hale's magic dick.'

'I never said magic.'

'It rhymes.'

'No, it doesn't and it's not impossible, Stiles.' Isaac said, finally. 'But maybe instead of focusing on why other people are interested in him, how about trying to figure out why you are?'

Stiles bawks. 'I am not, this is just my natural curiosity working. I'm always like this.'

'Riiiight... So that will be one fifty.'

'What? Dude, I don't have that much cash on me. I only got a hundred from the ATM.'

'Lucky for you, I accept card too,' Isaac grins as he pulls out an eftpos machine. Stiles grumbles as he pays. 'I'll take the hundred dollars as a tip though.'

'Fat chance, Lahey,' Stiles says as he backs it out of there. He finally looks at the huge house, taking in its size and beauty. It really is beautiful, all soft pillars and beautiful walls, decorated with beautiful hedges, large glass windows and a thick African blackwood door. He wonders if he can ask Derek for a tour. Fat chance, Stilinski.

Then he sees one of the curtains move. Its from one of the windows and it's completely obvious that someone's watching him. Someone tall, with dark black hair and wearing a grey suit.

Oh my god, Stiles thinks as he picks up the grocery bags. All four of them because he is nothing if he doesn't save himself two trips in and out of the house.

Oh my god, he thinks as one of the maids opens the door for him before he even knocks and helps him put the groceries in the house.

'Oh my god!' he says as he enters the kitchen and sees Derek Hale leaning against his counter, watching the bags as he places them on the table top. 'Did you seriously come home from work just so you could supervise me?'

'Did you buy the right stuff?'Derek asks and Stiles has to glare, because that is just so lame. That is so lame and Derek is a jerkface for thinking his home isn't safe around Stiles .

Of course the universe proves him wrong because just as he lifts the last bag, he manages to topple over the blender that is on the wrong side of his elbow and it wobble-dy wobble-dy wobbles before dropping on its side.

Derek looks like he wants to shove Stiles's entire head in a box. Stiles barely holds back from snapping at his boss but still mutters under his breath, 'Shiesh, it's not like I tried to burn the house down.'

It's not quiet enough because Derek's jaw tenses just as soon as he says it, and he turns away from Stiles. The maid leaves them and it's awkward. Awkward...

'Right, so I'm going to go and do the rest of my work now if you don't need me...'

'Wait,' Derek says, and turns around again. 'I wanted to ask you about that.'

'About what?'

'The work? You spent the entire morning and half of the afternoon getting it done so I didn't get the chance to speak to you all day,' Derek said.

Stiles's eyes narrow at the words because without context, they almost sound like Derek Hale missed him or some shit, but hearing the way Derek drags the words 'morning' and 'afternoon', he isn't so sure.

'Was I supposed to take less time to do that?' He asks, trying to go for less sarcasm and more genuine employee who doesn't know what he did was wrong.

'It takes Greenberg only two hours,' Derek states. Stiles sighs again. Caught lacking, again. 'This isn't an interrogation, Stiles. But what exactly where you doing?'

Stiles fights the urge to whine. He is so much better than this. 'I did everything that was on the list. I did the dry cleaning, I got your little inamorato his diamonds and I did the groceries. Whilst responding to your other inamoratas, who by the way have to be the rudest people I have ever met, ruder than you actually. So basically, I did my job!'

Derek ignores all that and says, 'How long did the calls take? An hour each? Or did you decide to use company time and money to make some personal calls too?'

'I,' Stiles seethes. 'Cant. Believe. You.'

'It's highly unprofessional, Stiles,' Derek glares. Stiles is luckily immune, mostly because his glare is so potent, it cancels the ferocity of Derek's own.

'You can't just blame me for something I clearly did not do!' Stiles retorts, fists squaring up. 'There has to be a law against that in your dumb workplace, anyway.'

'You can't take more than five hours for something someone less than you could do in two, Stiles. This was supposed to be your second chance for a career in this workplace anyway.'

What is with this guy with springing news out of nowhere. 'Okay, as far as I am concerned, I'm officially out of Hale Construction by Friday. Which is two days away. Correct?' Stiles says.

Derek rolls his eyes and his face clearly says shut up. But Stiles will not.

'And this new job, that was apparently supposed to be my second chance, was shoved at me out of nowhere at (ass) dead o'clock in the morning, for no complete reason. Correct?'

'You don't have to be told to do a good job to do it,' Derek counter attacks with another pointless, universal argument. 

'You are completely right,' Stiles nods vigorously. 'Absolutely, boss man. Right on the dot. Correct, even. And since it is my job to drop the groceries and leave right away, I'm going to do just that. Goodbye, sir. It's been a pleasure as always interacting with you. We should do this again. Have a good day, and if you don't, that's okay too. Adieu, jefe. Adios. Bye-by..'

'Shut up, Stiles,' Derek says, scowling.

Stiles turns, mimicking Derek under his breath. 'Shut up, Stiles.' And hold up, that reminds him of...

He spins back to Derek who is watching him walk away like a creepy creeper. 'That reminds me. I have a message for you.'

'If it's from Greenberg's phone, then I don't want to hear it.' Derek shuts him down.

'It's actually from Laura.'

Nothing catches Derek off guard. The man could be deep into his work, or flirting the pants out of some lucky (lucky?) guy and he would probably see a bullet come flying to his head from a mile away. When Stiles first demonstrated his klutziness by flailing and dropping all the coffee on his very first day, Derek had stepped out of the way just before any drop got on him. Come to think of it, Derek had totally seen him coming and hadn't helped stop his fal at all. The prick.

Anyway, the point is, nothing catches Derek off guard. Except for the knowledge that Stiles talked to Laura.

'Shut your mouth, dude. You'll catch a fly,' he says after watching Derek's open mouth for a blessed ten seconds. Ten. Yes, he counted. The image is ingrained in his head now, for later use.

Not like later use for when he is like, jerking off or anything to the picture of Derek's open mouth and wow, now he is thinking of Derek on his knees with the same open mouth as Stiles aims his.. NO! Not like that.

For later use for when Derek is being a cocky bastard and Stiles needs a reminder that he made Derek look absolutely flabbergasted. If he ever sees Derek after Friday, that is.

'You talked to Laura?' Derek finally says. And now he just looks angry. 'You shouldn't have done that.'

'I shouldn't have talked to Laura? But she's really nice,' Stiles says. 'She said she missed you.'

'Whatever she said, I don't want to hear it. You can go now, Stiles.'

'Look, pardon me, sir, but it seemed to me like you would want to have this message. She made it sound so important and everything. I really don't think you should ignore it,' he says, stepping closer.

'I said...'

'Well, I'm telling you anyway. It's about your Oma. In Smeerensberg.'

For the second time that day, in ten minutes, he watches Derek completely freeze up, his jaw accepting gravity and dropping to the floor. Not only that, but this time he gets to see what Derek looks like when he is afraid. That look in his eyes, is one hundred percent, total fear. It's amazing.

'Oma?'

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And up next? A rushed conversation, some negotiations, bribery and we finally set off for Smeerensberg.


	4. chapter 3.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so sorry. I realise this is shitty of me to drag this out longer but I promise you, the dice is rolling after this. I'm just typing shit as I go and ending up detailing a lot of shit but its all for plot. Sigh. The edit is going to be long.

For the record, its been twenty seven days since he showed up at Hale Construction and met Derek Hale for the first time. Other than tidbits he got from Erica and what he has seen with his own eyes, the only thing he knows about Derek Hale is what he's paid to know about Derek Hale.

Like the way he likes his coffee and that he needs a confessional with his personal trainer at six arranged for sneaking in a doughnut at lunch.

He isn't paid to know what to do when Derek Hale panics. So he just watches.

The first stage is probably the staring, whilst trying to form words with his mouth. Derek makes this lovely strangled noise when he opens his mouth, only to close it again when he has nothing to say.

The second stage is a bit unbelievable. Derek Hale pulls out his phone and calls someone. Stiles guesses it's Erica because Derek actually greets her instead of just telling her he won't make a meeting and he needs to push his dinner with James from nine to ten.

In the near month he has worked for Derek, Stiles has never once heard those words come out of Derek's mouth. He tells Derek as much, but (again) to the surprise of absolutely no one, he doesn't get a single reply.

Derek foregoes basic conversational skills to implement stage 3 of his Panic Mode. He kidnaps Stiles.

By kidnapping, Stiles means his wrist is grabbed and he is manhandled to Derek's home office, pushed down onto the nearest chair and locked in with the crazy man that is Derek Hale.

He is safe, he's pretty sure Shay is on a warpath trying to find him so if he ever goes missing, she will have someone to find him so she can behead him herself.

And logically, he knows Derek wouldn't kill him so carelessly, with people around and right in his home. He likes to think Derek would take the time to find an isolated place, just the two of them with no disturbances so he could just go at it. 

But he pulls up Scott's phone contact details from his own personal phone and dials. Just in case. Throwing it in his jacket's pocket, he hopes to hell Scotty doesn't think it's a booty call.

Derek tries the door, one more time, before deciding it's safe to come up to Stiles. He puts his hands together and gestures towards Stiles. 'Oma?'

Stiles looks at the distance from the door to his desk. He wonders if he can make a run for it. Derek Hale moves in, crowding him further against the back of the chair and nips that thought in the bud. 'Stiles?'

'Any reason why we couldn't do this in the kitchen?' Stiles forces his voice to be steady. Steady. If it gets a little high on the last word, then... whatever. 

Derek's face is serious when he says, 'Walls have ears. Now how about what Oma said, Stiles?'

'Laura.' Stiles corrects.

'Same thing,' Derek scowls. 'Laura never mentions Oma unless she has a gun to her head.'

Stiles blinks. There's that weird family drama again. 'Um. WHat?'

'How about this, Stiles?' Derek backs up a little. 'My oma and Laura? It's like fizzy drinks and a workout regime. They just don't go together.'

'Who's the fizzy drinks?' Stiles asks immediately.

'What? That's not important. What I'm saying is, neither of them mention the ther unless they are talking trash. Laura never says anything about Oma unless she absolutely has to. Or if they are both teaming up against me.'

Stiles contemplates this then asks, 'Are fizzy drinks a sort of guilty pleasure for you or...'

'Stiles.'

'Just hear me out,' Stiles raises his hands. 'Because I'm trying to work out who you like more between the two of them. Now, from your physique I'm guessing you are inclined more towards the workout regime so whoever you consider the fizzy drinks is basically the person you like the least ut of them both. But then again, if you have a secret affinity towards sugary treats, then all the logic goes out the...'

'Stiles!' Derek snaps. 'What did Oma say?'

Stiles sighs. 'She wants you in Smeerensberg for the weekend. Laura said, open quote if your pretty little ass isn't down home on Friday, Oma's catching the next flight to NEw York, end quote. Exactly like that. Word for word. I cannot make this up.'

Derek withdraws. 'That's it?'

'Yep,' Stiles tries not to pop the p. He's better than that. 'So , you can stop freaking out, sir. It's not that bad.'

'It's worse than I thought,' Derek says matter of factly. He turns away from Stiles. 'I'm being threatened.'

**

After that, Derek tells him to go back to work. Stiles is left a bit confused and he tries to get answers but Derek clams up like a plugged up asshole (get it, Derek's an asshole) and refuses to tell him anything. \

Stiles goes back to work and finds Shay ad Greenberg talking shit about him. They don't even stop when Stiles sidles up to them. 

'Literally five hours, can you imagine?'

'Not all of us are cut out to be here, Shay,' Greenberg says, and casually touches her arm with his hand. Stiles is mildly disgusted when he lets it linger. 'Not all of us understand what a wonderful opportunity it is to be working for the internationally recognised establishment that is Hale Construction.'

'Right.' Shay looks annoyed. She slowly pushes his hand off her arm. Turning to Stiles, she surveys him sup and down slowly and raises an expectant brow. 'Well...'

'Well..'

'Where is it?'

'Where is what?' Stiles looks down on his person.

'The diamonds.' Shay says through clenched teeth. 'Stiles, you have been out of this office for five hours and you didn't even buy it.'

Stiles briefly remembers leaving the gift bag on the kitchen counter. He shakes his hand to wave her concerns away. 'It's fine.'

'It's not fine,' Shay argues and points to a girl sitting in the waiting area, in casual jeans and a t-shirt. 'We had James's assistant come in to get them so she can hide the diamonds under James's pillow.'

'Was that Derek's idea?' Stiles coos. 'Aaw, that's sweet,' 

'It would be if you had them.Stiles! She's been here for two hours, just waiting for you.'

'I'm sorry,' Stiles raises his hands. 'Look, it will be fine, alright. I left it in his house, on the counter. All we have to do is text the boss man that they are still there and he can just as easily give them over at dinner. James gets to get his diamonds, Mr. Hale can still pretend to be a thoughtful lover and it's still somewhat romantic. Plus, gifts and food, always a good time.'

Shay opens her mouth to say something but Erica pops up out of nowhere and interrupts. 'It's useless, anyway. That fling is over. He cancelled the dinner.'

Shay turns to stare at the second in command. 'What?'

'He's also cancelled the meeting with the brothers tonight. And his early trip to L.A tomorrow morning. And the all day inspection of the Hotels in Malibu.' Erica lists everything with her fingers. 'He's taking the next five days off.'

Greenberg chokes. 'Are you absolutely serious?'

'Mr. Hale's taking an impromptu vacation.' Even Shay looks a bit sceptical. She turns to Stiles 'What does this mean?'

'It means you call every one and inform them that Mr Hale won't be able to make the meetings and reschedule them for next week,' Erica snaps. 'It means you do your job instead of gossiping about something that doesn't concern you.'

Shay and Greenberg stare at her for a moment before straightening and nodding. Greenberg murmurs an, 'Of course,' as he hurries to Stiles's desk to start checking Derek's diary.

Shay clears her throat and gestures to the assistant sitting in the waiting area. 'I'll get on to it.'

Stiles watches as Erica glares at them for a full minute before she finally grans bhs arms and pulls him towards Derek's office. 'I have to pack his work in case Derek decides to take his work with him. You'll be helping me for now, Stiles.'

As soon as they are both inside, Erica makes a show of fixing Derek's files and papers into a leather briefcase leaning on his desk. When Shay and Greenberg finally stop spying on them throught he glass walls, she turns and lifts a perfectly acrylic manicured finger at Stiles. 'You know something.'

'Um?'

'Derek left a few hours ago to work at home whilst he waited for you and hasn't been back in the office,' Erica explained. Stiles huffs, what a dick. 'His chauffeur told me that Derek called to cancel the dinner right after you left the house, and Derek hasn't left the house since then. Boyd said no one came in to talk to Derek after you left. That makes you the last person to see and talk to him.'

Stiles frowns. 'I thought you said no gossiping.'

'That shit doesn't apply to us.' Erica waves a hand. 'Especially when something this big has happened. And it's my job to know.'

'What is your job anyway?

'I'm a cross between almost a partner to assistant. It's sort of complicated,' Erica shrugs. 

'Uncomplicate it,' Stiles encourages. 

'I do all the small things of Derek's job,' Erica explains. 'And as for the big things like the meetings with the big guys, I'm Derek's partner.'

'You go to the meetings all the time anyway,' Stiles asks confused. 'Doesn't that mean you have enough experience to go to these things by yourself?'

'I do,' Erica says, with a small smile. 'But Derek has to be there. He makes the final decisions and the final call on what goes on with his company. I'm mostly there to aid him and support. Even if I believed i had the right solution to what Derek deems suitable for the construction on say, his current hotel projects, I still wouldn't go through with anything unless Derek gave the go.'

'Huh,' Stiles says, like a lameo. 'What are the odds that in a situation where you had to make a decision but Derek wasn't available to approve, you made it?'

Erica shrugs. 'No odds.'

'Well, what are the chances that the decision that you made was the same one that Derek made when he finally got to the problem?'

Erica is silent for a bit before she grins, 'Solid 8 to 1 success rate.'

They mule over that for a second. Erica bumps her shoulder against his. 'Trying to get me to rebel, Stilinski?'

'What? I'm not!' He peeks at her. 'But if I was merely suggesting that Derek and you have probably the same skill set when it comes to this job that you could potentially take over for him whilst he went home for the weekend, then can you blame me?'

He's trying to go for the, 'You Are Equally As Good As Derek Hale and You Need A Chance To Prove That!' but from the look on Erica's face, he's probably done that thing where's he's done something that he doesn't even know he did.

'Derek is going home?' Erica's voice is a harsh whisper in the quiet office. 

'What?' Stiles asks. 'No, seriously, what?' 

'How do you know Derek is going home?'

'Umm,' Stiles scratches his head. He doesn't know if he should tell Erica this but.. 'Laura called to ask him to come home for the weekend and I figured since he took the weekend off..'

'Laura called?' Erica whispers loudly, clutching his arms again and pulling him onto the floor. They slide down behind Derek's desk until they are obscured from view. 'Tell me everything!'

'You tell me everything!' He's now doing the loud whispers too but he can't help it. She started it. 'I literally have no idea what is going on?'

'Whats this about Laura? And home? Derek doesn't like talking to Laura and he has sworn off going to Smeerensberg for life. What changed?'

Stiles thinks back to Derek's conclusion that he was being threatened. And if he feels a little bit like he shouldn't be talking about this, he guesses you'll never know because xoxo he's gone total gossip girl. He leans in closer to Erica and whispers, 'I think he's being blackmailed.'

Which is of course when he hears someone clear their throat from above them. They both look up to see Derek Hale staring at them from the other end of the desk. Stiles immediately shoots up whilst Erica takes her sweet ass time to gather herself before grabbing the briefcase.

'When did you get here?' Stiles squeaks at the same time as Erica says, 'I'm guessing you came for this.'

Derek ignores Stiles and reaches for the briefcase. Which is cool, he doesn't want to push his luck after he got caught for talking behind his boss's back. 'Is everything in?'

'Everything copied,' Erica replies easily. She crosses her arms. 'Heard you were going home?'

'Yes,' Derek says, opening the case and rifling through. He pulls a few things out. 'It's only for the weekend though so there's not much work I need.'

'That's not what I care about,' Erica frowns. 'Do you need me to go with you? This is Smeerensberg.'

Stiles stares between the two of them, analysing Derek's closed off posture and Erica's excited curiosity. It's becoming obvious to him that Smeerensberg is some kind of closed off dark secret that Erica has been dying to know about Derek. Stiles can't help but want to know too. He's always been a curious creature at heart, though his curiosity when it comes to Derek Hale has mostly been about 'he doesn't want to know (because Derek is a prick)'. Still, this whole thing is getting kind of dragged out. He wished they could get to the chase already.

'I'm going with someone,' Derek says after a long moment. Erica raises her brows in a gesture for him to continue. Derek finally looks at Stiles. 'I'm taking him.'


	5. chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Irregular updates, I know. Not even full chapter. I know. Backstory that came out if nowhere. I knoooow
> 
> Just bear with me guys. This will be fully revised but for now, its just getting more ridiculous.  
> If you are into that

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Um, so backstory is actor!stiles. Mmmm

He's thought about this; being asked to go on an all expenses paid business trip to an exotic island is literally the twelfth thing on his bucket list.

The problem however is:

'My last day is Friday,' he tells Derek, trailing after him to the elevators. Derek hasn't said a thing since he told Erica to fuck off and do her job somewhere else whilst he prepared to leave home. 

Stiles has exhausted all the reasons he absolutely cannot go to Smeerensberg; he doesn't know where it is (look it up on a map), he isn't ready (going overseas isn't rocket science, Stiles) and he just doesn't want to go! (Derek stops and glares at him and tells him he doesn't pay Stiles for 'wanting' to do shit).

'Legally, I am not allowed to work after Friday,' he keeps talking as they wait for the elevator doors to open. Stiles doesn't know where Derek thinks he is going whilst they are still having this conversation but he's planning on jumping on Derek's car roof if the bastard thinks of taking off without hearing him out. 'You fired me, remember? You said, Stiles, be gone.'

Derek has no snarky reply to this, except for furrowing his brows and gaining a constipated expression before gritting out. 'You are right.'

Stiles's reaction to that sentence is always his shit eating wide grin so it takes a minute for him to really understand. 'I'm what?'

Derek sighs. 'I said, you are right.' The doors open but Derek doesn't move until Stiles a takes a tentative step inside the elevator. The doors shut.

Stiles watches Derek with suspiciously. 'So, does that mean I'm not going to Smeerensberg?'

Derek chooses to ignore this and starts up an entirely different conversation as he presses the button for the ground car park. 'You said I shoved Greenberg's job at you without explaining that it was your second chance at a career here.'

Stiles furrows his brows. Where did that come from? 'Um, yes. You made it look like it was a punishment or something.'

Derek frowns. 'It should have been. You have done a really terrible job as an assistant in the month that you have worked for me, Stiles. I don't really know why the agency sent you to us in the first place.'

Stiles winces. He wonders if Derek knows that this is his very first job as an assistant, his very first assignment as he liked to call it. He knows he did a shit job but seriously, that has been his truth since he got fired last week. 'The point?'

'Most people tend to realise that I don't give to second chances for free,' Derek says, shaking his case a little. 'What I did for you, giving you another job, any one else would have recognized that as an opportunity to prove themselves to me and try to succeed in that. You, however, didn't appreciate it.'

Because you gave me Greenberg's job, you sack of nuts! What Stiles says is, 'In my defence, if I had known I would have tried a bit harder to find the Tiffany store a bit faster.'

'That's all I ever hear from you, Stiles. Excuse after excuse after excuse.'

'I thought I was fired. I didn't expect you to want anything more to do with me after Friday,' Stiles huffs loudly and crosses his arms. His jacket strains over the stretch making his skinny arms look tighter.

Derek looks strangely at him before looking forward once again. 'That's beside the point. Do you not hear the part I keep saying about second chances?'

'Yeah, you mentioned that,' Stiles said dryly. 'Are you expecting a thank you or something for that? Do you want me to kiss your feet?' 

Derek sighs loudly. 'You are missing the point.'

'You aren't exactly there yet!' Stiles argues. Seriously, how did they get from debating the reasons why he won't go to Derek's home to this weird ass conversation anyway? 'I get it. I suck at this job. I missed my chance to prove it to you. I'm fired by Friday. I don't honestly know what more you want from me because there is no way I can get better than this. This is my peak at office work, man. This is all I will ever be. I just don't do corporate, I do stages. I don't do suits and ties, I do blacks. Are you feeling what I'm putting down? Taking me to Smeerensberg on some last ditch attempt to unfire me and give me another chance.. oh my god! Is this what is is?A third chance!


End file.
